Overlooking the coast near Panama City
The most relaxing way to explore Panama and its towering mountains, tropical cloud forests, stunning beaches, and busy cities is to rent a car. Renting a car in Panama allows you the freedom of your own schedule. Without the hassle of sticking to bus or plane schedules, you have the flexibility to travel at your leisure. To ensure a seamless car rental experience in Panama, it’s important to be familiar with key requirements and guidelines.
Driver’s License
A valid driver’s license is necessary to legally drive a rental car in Panama. Driver’s licenses from most countries are accepted. You must have been stamped into Panama within the last 90 days for your foreign driver's license to be valid in Panama. All Panama driver’s licenses are accepted for renting a car. If you have a question about your driver’s license, please contact us at info@chiriquicarrentals.com.
Age Requirements
Many car rental companies require drivers to be 25 years old to rent a car in Panama. However, some companies will rent to drivers as young as 21 with an additional surcharge. It’s important to review and understand the rental companies’ policies to avoid incurring extra charges.
Paying for Your Rental Car
Most car rental companies in Panama accept credit card payments and deposits. There are some smaller private companies that only accept cash or a local bank transfer. Chiriqui Car Rentals accepts cash, local bank transfers, and credit card payments. Depending on which insurance package you choose, there may be a deposit. This deposit is returned to you when the car is returned in the same condition that it left the rental agency.
Insurance
Insurance is one of the most important parts of a rental car contract in Panama. Panama insurance companies do not accept North American credit card insurance, which many people are used to using. Panama law requires that all rental vehicles have liability insurance. Often, the cost of insurance will equal the cost of the car rental. Ensure your insurance package covers comprehensive damage to the car because, as a renter, you will be responsible for any damage incurred that is not the other party's fault. Review the insurance options carefully and choose one that fits your budget and risk tolerance.
Inspecting the Vehicle
Before driving off, perform a thorough inspection of the rental vehicle. Check for any existing damage on the rental vehicle's exterior and interior. Don’t be shy about taking photos or videos of any scrapes, scratches, or dents that you see. Mark any damage on the damage inspection sheet that will be provided to you when you are signing all the paperwork. This will ensure that you won’t be responsible for any damage that you did not do. Make sure that you know if the vehicle uses diesel or gasoline and, if gasoline, what grade it requires.